ELEVEN years ago, doctors feared Evesham schoolgirl Stefanie Mace-Gould might have serious brain damage after suffering horrific head injuries after being hit by a car.

The teenager spent two weeks in a coma at Birmingham Children’s Hospital fighting for her life and doctors were forced to remove part of her skull to relieve pressure, allowing her brain to expand. Her family were told that she might never be able to walk, talk or even feed herself again.

But five-and-a-half weeks later, she astounded doctors with her remarkable recovery by walking out of hospital and returned to mainstream school wearing a specially-adapted protective helmet.

Now the 24-year-old, who lives in Bidford, near Evesham, has celebrated her wedding to Anthony Gould at Dumbleton Hall, ensuring her story has a happy ending after all.

Mrs Mace-Gould attributes her miraculous recovery to the sterling work of the medical team who got her back on her feet after the horrific accident.

“I was in a coma in intensive care and then moved up to the neurology ward,” she said. “I had a lot of physio when I was on that ward – that’s why I was able to come out so quickly. “Doctors thought I wouldn’t be able to walk or talk or feed myself. They didn’t expect me to be walking out of hospital, let alone be able to do everything for myself. They said I was a miracle.”

The former St Egwin’s Middle and Prince Henry’s High School pupil does not remember much of what happened in May, 2001, when she was hit by a car and rolled off the bonnet before hitting her head on the kerb in Pershore Road, Hampton, Evesham. She had to have five operations on her skull and also suffered broken cheek and sinus bones, as well as hip and other injuries.

Her determination to recover paid off and she incredibly she went on to gain eight GCSEs, a BTEC in performing art at Stratford College and a degree at the University of Worcester.

But despite her miraculous recovery, Stefanie, who now works as a nursery nurse in Stratford, still bears the scars from the accident.